ABOUT THIS ALBUM

Album Notes

It's been 4 years since John Carswell (organ, piano, vocals)and Jud Sherwood (drums) have released a new recording. This time, the group is a 5-piece band with Tom Anastasio on bass (when Carswell plays piano), Zane Rudolph, guitar, and Brian Kent on tenor saxophone. The sound is full and happening. This may be there best effort yet.

Blues Union has recorded before, but not in this specific configuration. The nominal leader is drummer Jud Sherwood who also produced this effort and is involved as director of The Jazz Project, a non-profit grass-roots organization. The disc consists of nine covers by mostly well-known figures from Blind Lemon Jefferson to Mose Allison. Over a tight bottom supplied by Sherwood and bassist Anastasio, they put their spin on these evergreens, some very familiar and some not so common. Tenor saxman Brian Kent and guitarist Zane Rudloph both have the imagination and chops to handle their solo sections capably but it is keyboardist John "Wizard" Carswell that steals the show every time out. His voice is filled with inner warmth; he never strains yet nails everything he goes for in an assured manner. Listen to his economical interpretation of Joe Scott's ballad "Never Let Me Go" or the way he gives Johnny Adams a run for his vocal money on "Not Trustworthy." On several of the cuts Carswell switches off between acoustic piano and Hammond B-3 to good effect. On "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'" he even overdubs both. The sole instrumental is a take on Dexter Gordon's "Gotham City" with plenty of hot Hammond from Carswell. These guys are probably great to catch in person at a funky club somewhere.

As I am writing my review of this newly released CD, I am listening to it once again on my computer. Not something I usually do, but this music is infectious, and I just can’t help myself! The players, John Carswell on Hammond B-3, piano and vocals, Jud Sherwood on drums, Zane Rudolph on guitar, Brian Kent on tenor sax, and Tom Anastasio on bass have a mighty good thing going on here, and you’ll be glad they decided to put it out on a CD for the Jazz Project, a local non-profit organization bringing an annual series of jazz concerts, films, and general information to the Bellingham area (www.jazzproject.org). Drummer Sherwood, who also produced this CD, is the director for the Jazz Project, dedicated to advancing the appreciation of jazz in the Pacific Northwest.
This release is a power-packed compilation of nine classic blues chestnuts written by the likes of Percy Mayfield (Not Trustworthy), Mose Allison (If You Live), Ma Rainey (See See Rider), Joe Greene (Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’), and Ivory Joe Hunter (Since I Met You Baby). But picking your cover tunes wisely is merely the first small part of creating a successful CD. Next, you’d best have someone who can vocally “sell” the songs, and John Carswell IS that man. His mellow, pitch-accurate voice exudes familiarity as he glides smoothly through the band’s repertoire, and whether or not he has ever had a hard day in his life, you could certainly believe he has! That would be enough alone, but add to that his most capable talents on the piano and the blues-obligatory Hammond B-3 and you have the whole deal here. Most impressive!
Still, if you want to produce a CD that stands out from the rest of the multitude of blues releases, you’d best bring along a handful of talent for your supporting cast. Blues Union has that going on, too. Zane Rudolph on electric guitar has the soft and talented touch of a real artist, picking and choosing wisely in support of the vocal line. Like Zane, Brian Kent on the very necessary tenor saxophone is smooth and clean here, adding just the right “punch” when needed, but never interfering with the overall simplicity of the project. It’s just clean, tight blues work, respectfully done by both of these lead players.
Only one more thing needed for success, and that would be the solid foundation provided by bassist Tom Anastasio and drummer Jud Sherwood. The unsung heroes of many a band, often noticed only in their absence, but truly the framework around which all else revolves, the right drummer and bassist can make or break any recording effort. The work here is solid and steady, just what is needed. The glory for Tom and Jud is in the finished product, and they should rightfully be quite proud.
I thoroughly enjoyed the several hours I spent listening to the Blues Union. In the hands of such talented musicians, this brief forty minutes of tasty blues licks is guaranteed to leave you wanting more!